For National Compliance and Ethics week, we’d like to announce our final professional in our Compliance spotlight. This well-known colleague in the industry has risen through various levels of supply chain management to become the results-driven leader he is today. We are happy to announce Chris Bereznay, the Director of Responsible Sourcing at DICK’s Sporting Goods (DSG), as our Captain of Compliance this week.

One indicator of the impact climate change is making on Vietnam is the migratory shift of inhabitants from the agriculturally-rich Mekong Delta to urban areas. According to government statistics, more than 1.7 million residents have relocated out of the vast expanse of fields, rivers and canals over the last ten years. Natural disasters have vexed the regional farmers trying to make a living of rice, shrimp, and fruit production and harvesting for export. One in-depth study on migration in deltas revealed that climate factors such as extreme floods, cyclones, erosion, and land degradation play a role in making natural resource-based livelihoods more difficult, further encouraging inhabitants to migrate.

Social Responsibility Team, Meet Trade Compliance Team

Not that the two teams haven’t talked in the past, but generally social compliance and customs compliance aren’t sitting in meetings together. However, with the recent enforcement of North Korean sanctions, the social and trade compliance teams can expect to spend a lot more time working together.

On August 2, 2017, provisions were made to theCountering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act(P.L. 115-44) prohibiting the entry of any merchandisemined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part by North Korean nationals or citizensinto the United States. It is ever more critical that US importers are fully aware of their compliance responsibilities, the risks associated with forced labor, and have the necessary systems in place to ensure their supply chains are free of forced labor.

Supply chains are becoming highly sophisticated and vital to attaining a competitive advantage for many companies. But as manufacturers look to expand across borders, the global nature also makes them increasingly vulnerable to a variety of risks.

Today’s consumers expect accurate and detailed product information at the point of sale to ensure that apparel, footwear, food, and other products meet their social and ethical standards. As companies recognize this growing consumer demand, many are advancing their traceability efforts to provide consistent and complete sourcing, social, and ethical product background information.